450 NOTES ON GERMAN MAN@UVRES, 1894, 
with the result that those who remained were captured from their rear. 
Tt seems clear that a successful attack just before dawn must result in 
the splitting up and utter annihilation of the enemy, owing to the 
impossibility of conveying orders for a simultaneous retreat when once 
the two sides are in contact, and the great difficulty of retreating at 
all in an orderly manner under such circumstances. 
The principal event was on the last day of the manceuvres: and I 
give a translation of the orders for the day to both sides. (Vide 
Appendix). The 11th Corps, as on the day of the battle of Worth, had 
taken Morsbronn and Albrechtshaiiserhof, it had changed front to the 
right and had forced the French almost through the Niederwald ; its 
advance was brought to a stand-still on the road in the middle of the 
Niederwald, and here a hardfightwas going on. Its rear was covered by 
a force on the heights above Kberbach. This force was attacked by a 
French division supposed to be that of de Failly, which it will be 
remembered took no part in reality in the battle, but retreated with the 
stragglers of MacMahon’s army, whom it attempted to rally about 
Nederbronn. 
Its attack was successful, Eberbach was taken, and the heights 
stormed, when the Vorspitze of another German corps appeared at 
Morsbronn. This ended the manceuvres. 
I will conclude by giving an account of the present system of the 
attack of a position by the Germans, which I saw carried out on many 
occasions, and which, though no fixed regulations are given for such 
attack, varied very little. 
Toe Atrack or A GERMAN Division or 12 BarraLions. 
The divisional cavalry is thrown out well in front of its division and 
falls in with the enemy, who is posted in a defensive position, it 
reconnoitres along his front and round his flanks if possible, and sends 
in such information as to his position and strength, that the general 
commanding the division determines to attack him; the cavalry with- 
draw and take post behind one of the flanks of the division, and the 
general, in order to cover his deployment and subdue the artillery fire 
of the defence, sends all his batteries to a position about 2000 yards 
from the enemy’s guns; here the artillery duel commences. When the 
enemy’s fire is somewhat subdued, the guns are pushed forward to about 
1800 yards of the position, and at this decisive range, the artillery fire 
of the defence must be silenced or nearly so. ‘Tull thisis done, it is 
considered that an infantry frontal attack has little chance of success. 
This artillery duel is a long affair, it may be a matter of 2 or 3 hours, 
but in manceuyres it rarely lasts over an hour. In the meantime the 
infantry are approaching. The first line consisting of (1) firing line in 
single rank, extended at intervals of one or more paces in single line 
march on the designated point of attack, (2) the supports also extended 
in single line follow at about 250 yards, and (8) the reserve in any 
convenient formation follow at about the same distance. There is little 
or no firing till the firing linearrives within about 1000 yards of the 
position ; here it halts for a short time, and the supports close up and 
reinforce the former, the reserve also diminishing its distance and 
